


A Mother, A Daughter, and A Tiger

by ConfusedGoatee_01, Foxtrotbeastbot, GuiltySpark2K12, Jknight97



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Gen, Inspired by Zootopia (2016), Interspecies Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-05-04 00:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14580624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConfusedGoatee_01/pseuds/ConfusedGoatee_01, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxtrotbeastbot/pseuds/Foxtrotbeastbot, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuiltySpark2K12/pseuds/GuiltySpark2K12, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jknight97/pseuds/Jknight97
Summary: A story of love, mismatches, parenting, societal prejudices, and finding love after a hopeless time and place.Or, the story of a rabbit single mother, her six-year-old livewire daughter, and a big tiger who happened to come into their life.A.K.A....The long-awaited sequel to Emma89's "The Meetings".





	1. The Day of De-Exodus

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Meetings](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8998807) by [Emma89](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emma89/pseuds/Emma89). 



> This fanfic is inspired by "The Meetings" by Emma89, or more precisely, this fic originated out of the multiple demands for a sequel to that original fanfic which have appeared on Tumblr and AO3.
> 
> This fic is a way of satiating those demands, and continuing the adventures of a bunny-tiger family that, while being a crack ship, has developed a following of its own.
> 
> As part of a "fan drop-in", I am inviting fans to submit their suggestions through the comments board, leave an email, and I will write back, share a portion of the fic, and invite readers and fans to write-in their own takes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were a tiger and a bunny, and they had found love. She had a child, and he had a warm heart. It was love in the time of holicithias, doomed to never blossom by fear of sudden savagery.
> 
> But now the nightmare's over, and he's standing on a railway platform, waiting for her and her child to run into his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited, much-promised, and fully-authorized sequel to The Meetings is finally here!  
> The fans asked, and I am here to answer their pleas.
> 
> To connect this up with "The Meetings", chapters 1 and 2 will be slightly in medias res, relative to the "eleventh meeting" where Tobias reunites with Hazel and Lilly at the station and takes them home.
> 
> As usual, Zootopia and all its characters belongs to ©Disney.

 Zootopia Central Station was abuzz with more activity than it had seen in the past few days. Every platform was packed to the brim with mammals of every size and species, from a lone giraffe in an elegant suit to a mixed band of small and large construction workers ranging from a bear to a beaver, while outside, fawn and cub, calf and pup alike danced through an open fire hydrant, the rushing water lending a touch of joy that the city hadn't felt for weeks.

 

And in the midst of the crowd, everyone's heads turned to follow the large tiger in the golf shirt and jeans as he left the escalator with a little beige bunny in a yellow-flowered white sundress on his shoulder and led another one by her paw, a tiny wheeled suitcase dangling from his claws. An elderly sow on the platform had nearly collapsed, and two officers, lion and rhino, couldn't stop blinking, but at that moment anyone could see that the three were too happy to care, even if they couldn't begin to know why.

 

“Oh, Geoff, look at them,” cooed a tall giraffe in a dark mahogany trench coat to her business-suited husband. He angled his head over to the escalator to see the little bunny nuzzle the tip of the tiger's whiskers as she clung tightly to his ear. “Isn't she just like our Jemima was at that age?” “ _Mom!_ ” their daughter bleated, jolting her arm out of her sling and Tobias out of his reverie.

 

The atmosphere in the station drifted between exhilaration and a suspicious silence punctuated only by the clicking of phone cameras, but as Tobias and his bunnies stepped aboard the city metro, the city's jubilance did not let up. They found seats quickly when a hippo seated near the door shouted “Sis!” and bolted out the door into the arms of the calf and his mother on the platform, and a joyous whoop emanated from the carriage as the happy aunt hugged her nephew to her chest.

 

As if the hippo was her cue, Lilly eagerly climbed all over Tobias, squealing his name joyfully as her mother gently gripped his arm, fighting back tears even though she didn't need to. "Toby..." she began, but Tobias just put his paw out for her to step into and lifted her to his chest so she could try to pick up her daughter, barely holding back his own tears of joy as the little beige bunny nuzzled herself deep into the white fur on his neck, her mother clutching the fabric of his shirt so tightly that he swore he could feel her heart beating at its breakneck pace.

 

It was almost too crazy to think that some weeks and a lifetime ago they had sat together on this same train and she had been almost petrified with fear.

 

They had not forgotten the first time they sat together, when she desperately pulled her daughter next to her the moment the big tiger sat down with his iPaw. And now, she was letting her daughter climb all over him and cuddle him, and couldn't wait to do the same herself.

 

Tobias tried in vain not to giggle as Lilly fidgeted and quivered into his pocket till she was comfortably resting against his chest. Hazel could barely hide her own giggles as she and her tiger walked out of the station and towards his apartment, wondering just how many photos of a bunny-kit in a tiger's shirt pocket would be clicked and streaming across InstaGRRRam by the time they got home.

 

_Home._

 

They'd been reunited for maybe half an hour, hardly known each other a few weeks, tiptoed around each other for days on end, admitted to have fallen in love only a day ago, and now she was thinking of his oversized-to-her bachelor pad as _home._

 

The incredulity of it all was just beginning to sink in when Tobias closed the door behind him, briefly quieting the din of the non-stop celebration in the streets.

“Hazel, I missed you so much-” Tobias started, but Hazel's lips fluttered over his nose and the side of his jaw, her teeth pressing gently against his skin as her paws stroked as much of his cheeks as she could reach.

“Hush, now,” she whispered, directing her eyes towards his pocket, “Later. We’re back here in Zootopia. With you. That’s all that matters right now.”

Nodding in understanding, the feline gently tapped his shirt pocket playfully, saying, “Well, it seems that I misplaced our little bunny. Now, where could she have gone to?”

They both smiled as they heard the melodic giggling from within the fabric.

“Oh, dear,” smiled Hazel, “I can’t seem to find her as well. What ever shall we do?”

“I heard little bunnies like pancakes and ice cream. Maybe if we placed some on the table, she’ll come out of hiding?” he winked.

“I’m here, silly!” Lilly chirped excitedly, popping out of his shirt pocket like a Jack-in-the-box.

“Augghh!” screamed Tobias in mock fright. “Lilly, you frightened me! Don’t do that! You’ll give me a heart attack.”

Lilly continued giggling while reaching up to nuzzle into his neck. “You can’t fool me, Toby. You’re the bravest mammal I’ve ever known.”

Swallowing a lump the size of his nose, Tobias reached up with one digit to caress her back, fighting back more tears. Hazel climbed into his lap to wrap her paws around his neck, burying her muzzle into the other side of his neck.

“Yes. Yes, he is,” her muffled voice reached his ears. “I never said thank you for saving us from that panther in the park, Toby. Thank you.”

 

Tobias said nothing, drained by the day’s events: the uncovering of former Mayor Bellwether’s plot to turn prey against all predators; the realization that the mammals had gone savage because of a drug and not because of some unknown virus or genetic disposition; the emotional reunion at the train station. The only thing keeping him from going to pieces was Hazel’s familiar scent filling his nostrils and Lilly’s tight grip on his neck. He wanted nothing more than to sit on the couch, embracing the two loves of his life.

 

Lilly was the first to stir, pulling away from him and, with the innocence of the young, asked, “So, where’s the ice cream?”

Tobias laughed out loud, the tension and stress of the past weeks finally melting away. He unashamedly guffawed, knowing that his fangs would be on display, but he felt comfortable, knowing they knew they had nothing to fear from him…not anymore.

 

The rest of the day passed in a blur of stories from Bunnyburrow, intense sessions of cuddling, nuzzling and caressing, takeout from a mostly-prey restaurant Tobias had seen on the way back from the gym, a ceremonial disposal of the imposing and now unnecessary tiger-tazer, and sometimes even quiet moments where a bunny and a tiger made up for all the missed gazing they had had to do over MuzzleTime.

 

And later that night, with his bunnies sleeping peacefully on his chest and in his arms, Tobias quietly let the sweet tears come, and was rewarded with the softness of gentle lips against his jaw and the touch of tiny paws against his fur.

 

There would be more gazing to be made up for in the next two days, more cuddling, more sheer joy of just being together and not having to worry about any savage attacks, and when the news of Gazelle's celebratory free concert would break, there would be eagerness on all three fronts to go, a daughter, a mother, and a tiger, as one with the city.

There would be all that and a bag of quinoa chips that Tobias had bought when he missed them so much it hurt, but it could wait till sunrise and being bounced out of bed by the most adorable bunny-kit he knew.

 

For now, holding them to him and feeling their mile-a-minute heartbeats was enough.

 

For now, he could let the tears come, and feel that after days of being hated and feared by an entire city, he was loved.

 

He was a pred, in a city largely of prey, and he was _loved_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bienvenidos, konnichiwa, and salaam namaste Zootopiaddicts!
> 
> I followed the original fic on AO3 and was amazed at how a five-second scene of a tiger on a train and a bunny mother with her child could be spun into an eleven-chapter saga of love, family, and terror-tense cityscapes.
> 
> However, the fans wanted a follow-up, and I took it upon me to write one.
> 
> Inspired by "One Hundred Kisses" by Cimar Wilde-Hopps, I have established a "fan drop-in" for fans to leave comments, and if they have ideas about where they'd like to take this beloved bunny-tiger family, they can leave their comments and an email, and I will get back to them, and send them a chance to add on to this story or come aboard and actually co-write chapters of their own.
> 
> For now, I would like to thank Jknight97 for being the first to drop in, starting with his valuable and fluffy contributions to Chapter 1! He'll be back with more in Chapter 2, and with his contribution, the drop-in will be formally launched, so fans, don't hesitate to drop in.


	2. Try Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gazelle has sung the anthem. They have heard the call.
> 
> They're ready to face the world together, because he loves her, and she loves him back.
> 
> And it started with a kiss, but where is it going to go?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _532 hits_ in the first _month_? **_532?_** Gee, how long were the fans waiting for more of the tiger and the bunnies?  
>   
> But seriously, fans, there's more to say. I don't know how to say thanks for all the hits in any way besides... _The DROP-IN!_  
>  See details on how to participate in the drop-in at the bottom of the fic.
> 
> In the meantime, when we last left our favourite bunny-tiger family, Gazelle was sounding her iconic anthem and the whole city was bopping to the beat.
> 
> And a daughter bopped along on a tiger's shoulders, and the mother and the tiger shared their very first kiss.
> 
> And this is how it starts.
> 
> And if you want a say in how it ends, join the drop-in. Details at the end of the chapter.
> 
> As usual, Zootopia and all its characters belongs to ©Disney.

 

They didn't want to open their eyes.

 

They didn't want to break away.

 

They didn't want to do anything other than press their lips against each other as much as they could, a neat trick given that her mouth was barely as wide as his nose.

 

They had been waiting for this for so long that it still felt almost unreal, as though it was still a post-MuzzleTime daydream as they caressed their wallpapers.

 

The silence was what finally parted their lips. The stage was so quiet that for a second Hazel was wondering if they'd been kiss-cammed. The last thing she'd wanted was to pull away from the lips she'd only kissed in her mind for two days, but she lacked her lover's confidence in the two of them and was wary of being seen, not the least of which was because she was a bunny kissing a tiger.

 

As it turned out, it was not a tiger and a bunny getting kiss-cammed that had taken the audience's breath away.

 

It was a tiger and a cheetah.

 

Or more precisely, a tiger dancer in sparkly briefs and a cheetah in a ZPD uniform.

 

Though in their defense, the tiger looked more like he'd been ambushed by the pudgy cheetah who appeared to be pulling him off the stage, although he definitely wasn't protesting. Gazelle herself was on the verge of being helpless with laughter.

 

Next to the kissing pair stood a large uniformed buffalo, whom they recognized from the newscasts as the Chief of the ZPD. He had his face hidden in his hoof, shaking his head as he watched his subordinate engage in the impromptu public display of affection. From their vantage point, though, it was clear the buffalo was not angry with the cheetah. And neither was the tiger. Given the situation the city had emerged from, it was likely the moment would be identified by historians as a defining moment in the celebration, just like the photograph taken at the end of the Greater War where a wolf in naval uniform had swept a random nurse sheep off her hooves in the middle of the street to engage in a torrid kissing scene as well. ZooTube would later show the tiger tripping over his own tail and right into the cheetah's paws, almost symbolic of how swiftly relief had swept the city.

* * *

 

As the concert drew to a close, the streets quickly filled with departing mammals everywhere in a rush for their cars or the taxis that lingered. Tobias and Hazel were lucky to grab a larger-sized cab that could comfortably seat the big tiger and his bunnies, though they were content to just lie in his arms all night. They decided not to rely on the city's transit system as they knew it would be packed with concert-goers, and they wanted to preserve the romantic aura of what had just transpired.

 

A slight yawn from above his ear told Tobias that the concert had begun to tucker Lilly out, and he reached up a paw for her to lie in. He was ticklishly surprised as she slowly climbed down his arm from his shoulder, gently and carefully slid down—in a way that caused even the cabbie to coo—into his shirt pocket and bundled herself in. “Warm,” she whispered, and slowly dropped off to sleep.  
  
Hazel took advantage of this moment to hop up onto his lap and grip his collar in order to finish their (in her mind) interrupted kiss.

“You are so good to us, Toby,” she whispered as their lips parted.  
  
Tobias looked into her piercing golden-brown eyes, amazed he could get lost in them forever. He ran his fingers through her long ears, catching one of them between his thumb and index finger. Shuddering at the gentle caress, she tightened her grip on his shirt collar as she tried to embed herself into his chest.

 

“If you want to cuddle next to her,” he happily rumbled, “I'm gonna have to buy bigger shirts,” he finished with a snicker.

 

“Stop it!” she quietly laughed. “You’re terrible, you know that?”

 

“I do,” he smiled wryly. “I've been hearing it since we met, but this is the first time it's ever been true.”  
  
Not bothering to hide her giggles this time, Hazel looked the tiger in his amber eyes. “But you’re _my_ terrible tiger,” she said warmly, reaching up to him with a paw around his pocket to cuddle her daughter. They held each other closely for a few minutes, his breathing and strong heartbeat forming a soothing echo in her ears.

 

Tobias looked down to pick Hazel up to his level for a kiss, but he found her looking suddenly downcast. “Is something wrong?” he asked, gently stroking her ears.

 

“When everything went quiet, I was afraid that it was us up there on the screen, and I didn't know how to react,” she sighed. “And I wanted it to be us, Toby. I wanted it to be us up on the screen, because I've wanted to kiss you ever since we got back, and ever since we've been home I've been thinking about how strange it is that we've fallen in love, and-”

“You too?” he asked, mixed feelings washing over him. Her ears perked up quizzically as she looked at him, and he stuttered, “I-I've been feeling the same way. Hazel, I've been wanting to kiss you since the station, and when you quivered when I tried, I just felt so uneasy about where we can go from here, and then we got back to my place-”

 

“Kids,” interrupted a friendly growl from the front seat, “take it from an ol' grizzly who's been a dad four times over in the past twenny-five years...tensions happen and everybody worries, but if it's worth it, then you'll work it out, 'coz there ain’t no shame in being in love. Especially if the other mammal is your soulmate.”

  
Hazel and Tobias looked up at their taxi driver. He was a greying grizzly bear in a pale blue shirt, a ZCTA transit medallion dangling from his ear.

“Sorry,” he smiled. “Couldn’t help but notice how much the two of you are into each other. And given these past events that the city's been through, you shouldn't be afraid to show it. Pairs like yourself ain't as uncommon as you'd think. Why, even that bunny cop and her fox friend'd make a cute couple.”

Hazel blushed as she pawed her ears back to hide the pink, “You really shouldn’t call a bunny ‘cute’. But thank you anyway.”

The bear grinned back at them through the mirror. “My apologies if I did offend you, miss. My wife, Betty, says I run my mouth off all the time. Can’t never seem to shut up. How she still puts up with me all these years is beyond me. But then, she can be a pawful at times.” Turning his head slightly, they saw a playful twinkle in his eyes. “You know, it was a couple much like yourself that made me finally listen to her and give up truckin'.”

Starting to ramble in the way only an old cabbie could, he began, “There I was, coming home late after an insane two-day cross-town zigzag run, when I see the shadow of antlers in my window. I get in close an' what do I see but my eldest snogging a moose. I'm ready to run in and pull them apart, but I'm so tired that I stop at the door, an' as I catch my breath I say to myself, 'Bernie, if you can't see that your cub has grown up, then you've missed too many birthdays on the long haul.' An' later that night, my Betty, little spitfire she is, she says the same thing to me when I'm grumblin' about it as I get into bed.”

Hazel shuddered slightly at the “missed too many birthdays” line, and Tobias held her closer, knowing she'd tell him when she was ready.

The cabbie rambled on, “So in the mornin', I try to talk to my eldest and her moose, an' my little spitfire comes down an' starts yellin' at me, 'Bernie, wouldja take yer head outta yer exhaust pipe fer once an' quit scarin' the boy, now whatchoo got agin our grown-up girl bein' with a moose,' an' I look at her, take off my trucker cap, an' throw it on the stove to burn. And I say to her, 'Thar's my answer, Betty, an' I believe I owe the boy a beer, if'n you don't mind,' an' that was the end of it. Been a cabbie ever since, an' only a few years later I walked my eldest down the aisle to her moose, he's an EMT with Sahara General now. Actually restored this cab with me, he did.”

“Now, if you’re lookin’ to buying a bigger shirt, double the fare and I'll throw in this vest,” the bear grinned as he held up a patch-covered jean jacket with no sleeves. “The wife's been after me to toss it ever since I became a cabbie, and with my trucker days behind me, I don't really need it no more, but it's got a history and I'd hate to just junk it. So, whattaya say?”

“Nah, we’re good, old-timer,” smiled Tobias. “My little ‘spitfire’ would kick me in the tail if ever I touched that with a ten-foot pole."

“Darn tootin’ I will.” mumbled Hazel under her breath, as she settled into his lap. “And you’ll end up sleeping on the couch, mister, if you continue to misbehave,” she smirked, playfully glaring at him.

Bernie’s thunderous laugh almost woke Lilly up. Tobias covered his pocket with his paw, trying to shush him. “Sorry, sorry,” he chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye. “It’s just that the little lady reminds me of my own missus. The force is _straaawwwwnnng_ in that one,” he quipped.

 

* * *

 

As they settled up outside Tobias' apartment, the cabbie gave them a friendly wave, leaving his number. “In case you can't find a ride that fits,” he smiled as he pulled away from the curb.

 

Lilly was soon warmly bundled up on Tobias' couch, the big tiger tenderly smoothing her ears down with his tail as she wrapped herself in his shirt, before he turned to the other bunny in the room as she perched gently on his armrest.

“You know,” he started, “I really don’t mind the three of us sleeping on my bed as there’s more than enough room, but she’s growing up pretty fast and she should have some privacy of her own. And if you want your own space-”

She placed a paw on his lips, effectively silencing him. “Don’t go there, Toby,” she whispered. “You and I are a couple now. I’m no spring chicken. I _do_ know my way around a relationship. You gotta know, we bunnies, we like to cuddle a lot. So, don’t you _dare_ suggest I’d prefer to sleep in my own bed. It’s been too damn long,” she shakily said, wrapping her paws around her tummy, her emotions getting the better of her, squinting to fight back the tears, “having someone just hold me.”

Tobias gathered her up in his paws, holding her close to his bare chest, her head on his shoulder as she clung to the fur around his neck. He softly began purring, seeking to calm her fears. “I’m sorry” he purred, “I didn’t mean to imply that I didn’t want you around. Us tigers tend to be solitary in nature. That is, until we find a mate. Honestly, this is the first time I've ever really lived with someone.”

Hearing his purr relaxed her. Glad that he was comfortable enough to be shirtless around her, she buried her nose in his chest fur, inhaling his scent. She paused and then continued to sniff, taking deeper breaths. Suddenly she began to giggle out loud, then began to rock back and forth on the couch, clutching her belly, as she attempted to smother what sounded like gut-busting guffaws. She rolled over onto the couch and began to shake all over.

 

Shocked, Tobias reached out, concerned that she was having some sort of lapine seizure. She grasped his paw, looked at him and tried to speak only to be consumed by a silent mirthful conniption. Bemused, he left her alone until she finally settled down to a few chuckles.

 

“I’m sorry, love,” gasped Hazel. “You must forgive me. It’s just so ironic…”

 

Arching an eyebrow, the tiger waited, his silence rebuking her apparent silliness.

She smiled up at him and he couldn’t but help smile back. She was just so adorable, it hurt. However, he crossed his paws and fixed her with a glance, letting her know her charms were not working on him.

“It’s just,” she admitted – ”ever since I was a little kit, my favourite snack has been buttered popcorn. I could never get enough of it. My parents thought I was one strange kit, but they always gave in to my requests. I especially loved the stuff they sold at the movie theatres,” she finished, grinning mischievously.

 

Tobias groaned. “No. I forbid you to go there. I can’t help it if-”

“But Toby,” she smirked as she returned to sit on his lap, “isn’t a strange coincidence that your natural scent smells like my favourite childhood snack?”

Groaning, he buried his face in his paws, knowing what was coming next.

 

“I mean, you’re such a precious Butterball.”

 

The dreaded nickname.

 

Tobias tried to shut out painful childhood memories of pred-hating and name-calling, but Hazel's giggles seemed to dredge everything up relentlessly, and it was all he could do to hold together. He didn't know how long he'd closed his eyes until he felt the soft touch of paws on his cheekbones, and looked up into Hazel's worried eyes as she gently stroked his muzzle and asked, “Toby, did I say something wrong?”

“I didn't mean to startle you, Hazel,” he gasped, his breath coming in ragged exhales. “It's just that...see, when I was growing up, the city's desegregation and anti-collar laws had only had less than a generation to sink in, so a lot of preds had a tough time just trying to get by, and it was really hurtful for us pred cubs.”

“What do you mean, Toby?” Hazel asked worriedly, although she feared she knew.

 

Not saying anything, Tobias reached for his wallet in his back pocket and withdrew a very faded and worn photograph. He stared at it for some time before sighing and showing it to Hazel. She slowly reached for it, hesitant to intrude but recognizing he was sharing a very painful memory associated with the photo. What she saw puzzled her even further.

“Toby, what am I looking at?” she asked as she turned the photo over in her paws.

“My photo…” he gasped, tensing automatically as her eyes widened, “...when I was just a cub of five.”

“Oh, my goodness! Weren’t you the cutest, most adorable little Butter-“

 

_“Hazel!”_

 

Startled, she looked up at his pained visage. Slowly, it dawned on her the hurt he must have gone through as a child. “I’m sorry, Toby. Can you talk about it?” she whispered, slowly stroking his arm.

  
Nodding, Tobias took a deep breath and, eyes closed, attempting to shut out the jeers and hateful remarks that threatened to resurface from the deep abyss where he thought he had buried them, he started to speak, but at the last minute his courage failed him.

“I-I can't do it. I'm sorry, Hazel, but if you knew what it was like...”

 

“Toby,” Hazel started, but stopped when she saw the claws on his free paw dig into the armrest. Sighing, she decided to postpone her questions for later, for when he was ready. “Let's just go to bed,” she murmured consolingly into his ear, stroking his other paw that covered his face.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “Here I am, wanting to be in a relationship with you and I can’t even open up to you. Please forgive me,” he said as he looked longingly at her light brown eyes. “You certainly deserve more than a brush-off.”

“Toby," she cooed, "although you shouldn’t be afraid to share your feelings with me, I’m not going to force you to spill your guts especially if it’s deeply traumatic. Please know that I’m not going to run away screaming…unless you’ve killed someone,” she smirked, “then I’m only going to ask where the bodies are buried.”

 

“And why would I tell you that?” he smiled, using a digit to trace the side of her face.

 

“So that I know where to add the bodies of the bullies that tormented you when you were young,” she smiled back, a large grin splitting her face from ear to ear.

 

Guffawing silently, he reached out to gently pull her in for a chaste kiss. “Have I told you how much I adore you?” he rumbled, his tail slowly swaying behind him.

“Not as much as you should,” she added cheekily, her blush coloring the inside of her ears as the love she felt for him began to travel southwards, thoughts of how big his paws were and how good they would feel on her body, making her clench her thighs together. _Not now, Hazel! Mind out of the gutter!_

He cupped her cheek in a large paw and caressed her soft ears, amazed at how someone as small as she was could capture his heart. Deep down, he knew their size difference did not matter to her but he still wanted to take things slowly. There were other issues that had to be tackled first before he even considered the concept of mating. His being silent on an issue that would affect both of them later on if they were to remain together was not helping so he finally gave in and took a deep breath.

 

“”Hazel...” he started, “...the public schools had only just been desegregated when I was growing up. Preds were easy targets for the bigger preys, and even the littler ones, because we were so helpless back then – if we tried to say anything to them, they'd squeal all sorts of lies to the teachers and we'd be threatened with...” – he shuddered – “ _muzzling_.”

“Our paws were tied. We couldn't even fight back. I've been through every punishment the school system had to offer, and I've never deserved any of them even once. Plus, my dad was a Sundarbania, and at the time, Zootopia wasn't as open to outsiders as it is today. Even though my mom was a Zootopian, I was always an outsider, no matter how much I tried to fit in.”

  
“To make things worse, my metabolism wasn't the best. No matter how much I exercised or dieted, I kept putting on weight. And felines are supposed to be sleek, powerful and graceful mammals. Considering I didn’t look anything like a stereotypical cat, I was mocked and ridiculed—not only by prey but by my fellow predators as well. ‘Butterball,’” shuddering at the word, “was the ‘kindest’ name they called me…and the most common. The pranks they pulled on me were just as cruel.”

“I couldn't even go to the library and hide, because the librarian didn't like the growling that happens when I breathe. The school's computer room was really the only place I could consider myself safe. It was always kept cool, and luckily for me, the old goat who ran it was a big fan of Sid Neigher, and so he'd ask me to play around with him. I actually got into programming when the old goat showed me how to hardwire the whole school into the computer room.”

“I tried every diet there was available out there. I almost developed an eating disorder. Fortunately, once I got into college, I started properly working out, and eventually my weight sort of stabilized. But the stigma from the bullying still stays with me. It’s also why I work hard at maintaining my physique now.”

Tiny paws gripped him tightly around the neck, startling the tiger from his agonizing reverie down memory lane. Hazel had her head on his shoulder and he could feel her tears streaming down his fur. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Tobias reached up to stroke her back, purring as he did, “Hey, hey. No need to apologize. It wasn’t your fault-”

“But I do!” cried Hazel’s muffled voice, buried deep into the scruff of his neck. “I provoked you into remembering bad childhood memories. You were _shaking_ , Toby! The last I time I saw you like that was after the panther attacked us.”

“But you’re still not at fault," he purred, trying to reassure her. "How would you have known unless I told you?”

“Still," she sniffed, "I should have realized something was wrong when you asked me to stop. I didn’t listen to you. Never again!”

Caressing her back, Tobias rubbed his cheek against her head, purring as he did. “That might be one promise hard to keep,” he chuckled. “‘Never say never’ is something I prefer to live by. That and ‘Never argue with an idiot. They’ll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.’”

 

Her laughter was music to his ears. She scooted up so she was eye level to him and caught his lips with hers. He lost himself in her, wanting to extend the moment, praying for time to stand still forever.

As their lips locked around each other, Tobias felt himself lean backwards onto the couch, and reluctantly pulled Hazel away from his muzzle. “I don't want to wake Lilly,” he whispered as softly as he could. “Let's just go to bed.”

“Here's better,” Hazel mumbled into his fur, “ 'm jus' too tired to move...”

Exhaustion was catching up with both of them, and Tobias felt inclined to agree. As gently as he could, he slipped one paw deftly under Lilly and brought her to the crook of his arm where Hazel was resting, his bunnies tenderly lying in their tiger hammock as he carefully sat back on the couch before gently allowing himself to lie straight on his back, cupping them close to his chest as he finally allowed himself to drop off to sleep.

 

However, even as her daughter and her tiger slept, Hazel found her own mind to be relentlessly unquiet.

 

Their relationship was barely off the ground and yet he had just bared his heart to her, and even taken her and her child in right off the bat.

 

Their first kiss was in as public a place as was to be had, and yet in a crowd of mammals they apparently went unnoticed.

 

Their own feelings were relentlessly swirling around them, issues and worries needed to be talked out, and yet an old cabbie, a pred at that, claimed that their sort of thing was _normal._

 

She didn't even know if her daughter had heard their conversation. What if she had? What would this mean for the three of them? More importantly, was she ready herself for this sort of thing? Where could they go next? Was she moving in with him or moving back to her place? Oh goodness, what would happen if they _broke up_?

 

She wished more than ever that she could just snuggle into his chest fur and let his breathing, his warmth, and his scent that was so comforting to her and yet so painful for him melt her worries away, warming her anew with the truth of the cabbie's wise words.

 

As her eyes forced themselves open with her worries, Hazel looked to her left to see Lilly start to fidget. Remembering the way she'd climb into her bed, Hazel inched slightly over to her before she saw her pat down Tobias' chest fur and nuzzle her way deeply in, mumbling “warm” in her sleep as she burrowed deeper into the tiger's fur.

This should have reassured her, and so should Tobias' paw patting her down, but it was still an hour before she got any sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you into fan fiction?
> 
> Are you a follower of this crack ship?
> 
> Are you feeling squishy inside whenever you read about this tiger and his bunnies?
> 
> Are you eager for more, and impatient when the fic doesn't update as quickly as you'd like?
> 
> If you answered any or all of those as yes, then now there is a solution.
> 
> The solution is...Take control. Write in the dreams that you feel for this fic.
> 
> Because I'm handing the action over to you, with...
> 
> "A Mother, A Daughter, and A Tiger: THE FAN-FOR-ALL DROP-IN!!"
> 
> That's right - now _you _can have a say in how the story goes.__
> 
>  
> 
> __  
> _To participate, just leave a comment on the fic with an email address that you're sure to check, and add your feelings and desires for the bunny-tiger family you love._  
>   
> 
> __  
> _I will get back to you, and share narrative threads in which you can write into the main narrative, chapter by chapter. (More details in the actual email.)_  
>   
> 
> __  
> _This is a collaborative effort, so your ideas will be incorporated into my narrative, with the option of spin-offs remaining open._  
>   
> 
> __  
> _You will be credited as a co-writer on the chapter or chapters in which you participate. Just remember to tag yourself into the manuscript._  
>   
> 
> __  
> _For now, this chapter has been co-written, once again, by the talented and compassionate Jknight97 of "Zootopia Love Stories" fame, who will remain a cardinal contributor to the fic and to the drop-in, and will always have my gratitude._  
>   
> 
> __  
> _And, for the sharp-eyed, I also snuck in a subtle slash of the GuiltySpark switchblade to Foxtrotbeastbot of the "Cop and Baker" saga...first one to find it gets first tag on the next chapter!_  
> 


	3. The Mornings After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After many straight months of chaos, Zootopia is finally on the mend.
> 
> On a day full of promise, an unlikely little family circle finds a new friend...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been two months between chapters, and for those delays I apologize, fans...but if you want the story to move faster...then join the drop-in. Details _way _below.__
> 
> __This update sees the debut of a new contributor to the drop-in, adds a long-awaited character to the sequel at last, and takes the chance to launch..._ _
> 
> __...the FLASHFORWARD CHALLENGE! (See the bottom of the chapter for details.)_ _
> 
> __Disclaimer: Zootopia and the characters portrayed in the movie are owned by ©Disney. All other OCs are the property of the writers of the story. Any resemblance to actual persons or mammals, living or dead, is purely coincidental._ _

Tobias watched as Lilly nuzzled deeper into the large fuzzy blanket that was his paw, tightly gripping his fur in her tiny paws. He smiled at the adorable display, her nose twitching with each soft breath, and did his best to remain motionless. He glanced over to his left, and saw Hazel curled into the crook of his arm with her nose buried into the side of his chest. The smile strained slightly, reminded of the conversation they had the night before. The strain didn’t last long as the older doe gave an unexpected kick with her leg, missing the tiger but looking surprisingly sweet.  
  
“Like mother like daughter,” chuckled Tobias quietly. He grimaced when he saw Hazel beginning to stir.

The older doe yawned, incisors on full display as she stretched out on the tiger’s arm. She smacked her lips together and twisted her torso side to side. Finally, the rabbit opened her eyes. Soft hazel stared back into burning amber. There was a brief moment of hesitation, before Hazel smiled. “Hey.”  
  
Tobias grinned, “Hey.” The rabbit started to rise, but the tiger tried to intervene. “You don’t have to get up yet.”  
  
Hazel chuckled as she scooted off the tiger’s arm and onto the floor. “Once I’m up, I stay up,” she shrugged, “It comes with living on a farm. Besides,” she looked at her still sleeping daughter, “Lilly will be getting up soon too.”  
  
As if on cue, Tobias felt the tiny rabbit stir underneath his paw. He turned to see Lilly stretching out against him as she twisted herself through a routine similar to her mother. Unlike the older doe, there was no hesitation in the tiny rabbit’s smile.

“Toby!” she cheered, lying down once more to hug the tiger, “I thought it was a dream!” The young doe’s nose twitched and she giggled, “You smell like butter!” Tobias’ smile waned, but he forced a chuckle out, “I-I guess I do!” He knew Lilly didn’t understand what that meant to him, but the memories still stung.

“Hey, Lilly,” Hazel called out softly to her daughter, “let’s see what Toby has for breakfast, ok?”

“Ok!” replied the enthusiastic kit, standing up on the tiger before hopping off of him and the couch all together. Tobias tried to catch the small doe, but was too slow. Thankfully Lilly’s trajectory was towards her mother, who caught her with a soft “Oomph”.

“Lilly, what I have told you about jumping on mammals?” chided Hazel with a stern gaze.

The little rabbit’s ears lowered and she spoke just above a whisper, twisting a foot in the ground. “Not to do it…”

“That’s right,” the mother continued with a solemn nod of her head, “because it’s rude and someone could get hurt.” She spun her daughter around to face the tiger and folded her arms. “Now apologize to Toby for jumping off of him.”

The sullen daughter turned with her head hung low and big, bright eyes towards the feline. “Sorry, Toby.”

Tobias’ heart melted at the cutest face he ever saw. He smiled, “It’s ok, Lilly, you can jump on me whenever!” The way the kit’s eyes lit up while her mother pinched her brow told the tiger he may have made a mistake. “Uh...I mean if your mom’s-"

“No, no,” Hazel interrupted, waving a paw flippantly, “You spill the beans, you get the mess.”

The feline didn’t understand what the older doe was saying until he felt a small weight land on his midsection. He turned to see Lilly back on him with a wide grin. The little doe giggled as she hopped all over the larger mammal, up and down his chest and stomach. Tobias barely felt the weight, though admittedly the daughter _did_ pack quite a kick, and he had to end her fun when she bounced a little _too_ far south. “Alright, that’s enough for now little lady,” laughed the feline, shooing the tiny rabbit with a large paw back to the floor. He heard Hazel join in his mirth.

“Come on Lilly, growing bunnies need to eat,” giggled the mother with a paw over her mouth. As she laughed, Tobias was reminded how youthful Hazel could look. He was always surprised by how the matronly bunny was so quickly replaced with the image of a still young rabbit who still had much more living and loving to give.

The tiger swung his legs off the couch, careful to avoid the smaller mammals around him, with a low groan. He stood and stretched his arms over his head, feeling the satisfying pop of his back before focusing back on the two rabbits. He cocked his head with a confused smile at the older doe staring at him. “What?”

Hazel shook her head, and then turned to her daughter watching the two of them intently, her cute little button nose twitching before quickly disappearing into the kitchen alcove. “It’s...nothing. Lilly, where’d you go?” A clatter of drawers opening and closing in the kitchen answered the mother. The older doe chuckled, “We better feed our hungry bunny.”

* * *

  
There wasn’t much for breakfast, Tobias normally relying only on a coffee to start his day, but fortunately there _was_ bread and a toaster. He had to admit it wasn’t the healthiest choice for a growing kit, but desperate times called for massive slices of toast with peanut butter. Considering the size of the bread, Hazel tried cutting the bread into smaller pieces before toasting, but knowing it would be irretrievable that way, Tobias took over. He brewed coffee and retrieved the toast, handing them over on a plate for Hazel to spread and slice appropriately. Five slices were done, three for the feline and one each for the lapines, and as the two adults waited for the coffee to finish brewing, the mother carefully set up the plates for herself and her daughter at the coffee table near the couch.

Tobias brought a fully filled mug for him and a partly filled tiger-sized _ramekin_ for Hazel, which caused her to smile knowingly as she took the small dessert bowl into her paws.

Lilly happily munched on the smaller pieces for her as she watched cartoons on the television. Tobias glanced between the two rabbits, a soft smile on his muzzle as he sipped from his mug. The toast slowly disappeared and he couldn’t help but notice Hazel rubbing her temple and yawning every now and then. “Couldn't sleep?” Tobias asked, reaching over and gently stroking Hazel's ears.

“Too much to think about,” she groaned, fighting the temptation to rub her eyes as she leaned into his paw.

“You can go back to bed and crash a bit,” he smiled, one claw gently stroking her cheekbone. “I've got Lilly.”

“No, it’s too nice of a day,” replied the doe, glancing out the apartment window. She smiled and looked back at the feline, “Why don’t we go for a walk?”

“Sure, but I think we should get cleaned up first.”

The mother frowned, and looked at the bowl in her paws, “...Do you think we could? I mean, everything here is so…not bunny-sized.”

Tobias shrugged with a grin, “Yeah, well, I got a shower you can use…” His eyes widened at Hazel’s point. The grin turned into a contemplative frown as the feline performed the arithmetic to solve their dilemma. “Hmm...there might be a way around that...maybe I could turn it on...and then you and Lilly go first...and I’ll finish up?”

Hazel giggled, bringing her bowl up to cover her mirth, “Sounds pretty ridiculous...but it could work…” She nodded with a tired smile, “Ok, let’s try it like that until we figure out something better.”

Tobias was about to speak, but rambunctious laughter from Lilly cut the tiger off. He looked at the little bunny-kit affectionately as she danced in her seat to the cartoon’s theme song, enthralled with the morning line-up. It once again stirred an emotion in the big tiger that he couldn’t quite describe.

It felt a lot like love.

Not the same type of love he felt for Hazel, but of the same vein and, if not as deep, then definitely deeper.

He glanced towards the older doe, “Maybe...maybe we wait a little while longer.”

Hazel smiled softly as her gaze wandered to her daughter. “A little while longer then.”

* * *

  
The little while longer was longer than a little.

A lot longer.

Not that Hazel or Tobias were complaining.

It had been nearly an hour and a half before the little bunny was cajoled into breaking away from the television for a shower. Tobias lounged on the couch while the two bunnies cleaned up, thinking, not for the first time, about the turn his life had just taken.

He was used to being alone, and was never one for a swinging bachelorhood to begin with, but something about this felt like it fitted him. It was...nice, or at least that’s the only word that seemed to fit. For the first time in a long while, his apartment felt like a home. The tiger hadn’t realized _when_ the space stopped feeling comfortable. If he were to guess, it would have been around the time it started feeling like a cell. That was in the past now, and the future looked...nice.

Though he really _had_ to remember to appropriately stock the shelves.

With the door slightly ajar for the smaller mammals, the feline could hear Lilly’s excited shrieks and more splashing than normal from his shower. The little bunny’s excitement made sense considering that it could easily contain several dozen Lilly’s. Every now and then Hazel’s own mirth would join her daughter’s, and the tiger’s heart would skip a beat. She really did have an amazing laugh.  
  
“Toby, it’s your turn!” Hazel called out from the bathroom. Other mutterings from the mother, as well as more peals of laughter from the daughter, filtered through the apartment.

Tobias chuckled, swinging his legs off the couch and pushing off the cushions. “Alright. Ready or not, here I come!”

* * *

  
It was almost lunchtime by the time they eventually left the tiger’s apartment.

The trio strolled easily through the streets, enjoying the warm sunshine and gentle breeze that blew. The weather was perfect, and the good feeling after the Nighthowler incident seemed to still hang around. Tobias noticed small interactions that used to be normal, but were now even more important.

A whitetail buck holding the door for an elderly lioness, a hippo apologizing to a weasel for almost stepping on them (for all the good it did - the weasel continued to rage and Tobias was suddenly tempted to cover Lilly’s ears with his paws), kits of different species running through the streets playing. All of these were foreign sights during the crisis and rare enough before, and seeing them return lifted the feline’s spirits further. He sighed as he diligently watched Lilly run up and down the sidewalk, burning off the infinite energy of a young bunny.

“Don’t go too far Lilly!” exclaimed Hazel, her motherly worry going into autopilot.

“I can see her,” Tobias said, trying to soothe the mother.

The older doe chuckled and glanced up at the tiger, “I don’t doubt that...but that doesn’t mean others do.”

The feline frowned, he should have thought of that. Tobias cursed himself quietly as the recent memory of the weasel popped back into mind. Lilly was definitely smaller. He breathed in deeply, about to call for the bunny-kit, when he stopped. Did he have the authority to tell Lilly what to do? Tobias and Hazel hadn’t had a conversation about what they were, so he wasn’t sure where the line was. Thankfully the little rabbit came sprinting back to her mother.

“There you are,” Hazel sighed as she cupped her daughter’s cheeks, “Stay close to us today sweetie as there’s plenty of mammals out today.”

“Ok, mom!” Lilly cheerfully replied, bobbing her head side to side. She turned to the feline and hopped up and down, “Toby, did you see how fast I ran?”

The feline chuckled and bent closer to the kit, “I sure did! You’re _really_ fast!” She beamed at his praise and the tiger felt that tug on his heart just like earlier.

Tobias' attention was suddenly diverted by a knocking that came from a nearby storefront. He turned his head to see his otter co-worker, Kevin, waving at him from inside a booth at a sushi bar, holding what looked like a salmon roll in his claws.

“Who’s that?” asked Hazel warily, looking in the same direction as the tiger.

“A co-worker of mine,” replied Tobias. He squinted as Kevin started to wave more vigorously towards him. “I think...he wants me to come over.” The feline glanced down at the older doe with a raised brow, “You feeling up for sushi?”

A small smile graced Hazel’s mouth, “Bunnies aren’t supposed to eat fish...but I haven’t had a Califurnia roll in awhile either.” The mother turned to her daughter, “You getting hungry Lilly-pad?”

“Yes!” exclaimed Lilly with a hop and arms raised high.

Both adults laughed at the exuberant little doe. “Alright then,” started Tobias as he clapped his large paws and then rubbed them together, “Let’s eat!” The trio made their way inside, with Hazel sticking close to the tiger and holding her daughter's paw.

* * *

  
The sushi bar was a small restaurant called “Shiny’s Fish”, apparently, after the koi swimming through seaweed that formed the motif around its window. Inside, a line of crescent booths with half-moon tables framed a long bar that appeared to be where the food was prepared. It extended two-thirds of the way into the building where high stools followed the bar to the end. The otter was seated at a small booth close to the entrance, a small bamboo _geta_ plate of sashimi in front of him, half-consumed, when the trio entered.

Kevin was normally stoic enough to start with, but the sight of Hazel and Lilly elicited a different level of coldness as his expression shifted to a wary stare.

“Oh. I didn't know you had company.”

Tobias’ smile immediately turned into a scowl at the mustela’s tone. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hazel shift uncomfortably as she held Lilly close to her. Kevin wasn’t a threat, but that didn’t make it easier for the tiger to suppress the need to growl at the lithe mammal. He opened his mouth to retort, when a shrill voice cut him off.

“KKKKEEEEEEEVVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNN!!!”

The excitable shout was followed by a golden-brown bolt that knocked Kevin down and pulled him into a tight hug, revealing itself to be a hare in jogging shorts and a black T-shirt showing three gray wolves in sci-fi armor.

Kevin managed to pry himself free of the hare's grip, only to gasp “Nancy Leap?”

“Aaaaazzz you livvv and brrrrreathe,” she trilled, deftly nicking the salmon roll in the otter's claw before swallowing it herself. “Sooooo, who's your friendzzz?” she continued to trill as she chewed.

“What are you-" started Kevin.

“We just _haaaaaaaaave_ to catch up!” interrupted the hare quickly, pulling the mustela in the direction of an empty booth, “Come on friendzzz! We’ll sit ova heeeeerrrre!”

Tobias and Hazel followed the wrestling pair hesitantly. It was obvious to the adults that Kevin’s immediate reaction to the mother and daughter was not positive, but this Nancy Leap was a curveball. The tiger didn’t know what to make of her, other than he was grateful that she shut the otter up before he said something he would regret.

Nancy eventually let Kevin go, but only because the lithe mammal was boxed in between the booth and the hare. He scowled and looked about to say something before glancing at Lilly and clamping his jaw shut. The mammals filed into the booth with Tobias and Kevin sitting opposite each other on the edges while Lilly sat between Hazel and the tiger, and Nancy effortlessly managed to slip in next to the otter, talking a mile a minute all the while.

“Konoko, double guaca-maki extra tazuna shrimp daku, my table, nnnoooooowww,” Nancy trilled to the counter as she hopped up on the table, the piercings jingling in the tips of her ears. “Muro, triple winter melon tea,” she trilled to the nearby barcat.

“Soooo, kiddo, ever tried _RipTider_?” Nancy trilled eagerly to Lilly, who just sat wide-eyed. Reading the excitement in Lilly's eyes, Nancy reached into her pocket for a Z-Branix Play* that she planted deftly into Lilly's paws, saying “Zone out, sweetie, the grown-ups gotta talk, and tell me how you like it, I made it, after all,” leaving Lilly to lose herself in a jetski race as her mother and her tiger stared wide-eyed at the hare.

“Oh, didn’t I say?” Nancy asked. “I’m a Codemammal!”

Tobias nodded in understanding, but Hazel stared blankly at the hare. Nancy noticed the confused stare and gestured to the mother.

“Codemammal? I’m a coder? I code video games?”

“Oh,” responded the rabbit, nodding her head with a still confused smile, “Ok.” Hazel glanced up at Tobias for an explanation.

The tiger leaned over to the doe and murmured, “I’ll explain later.”

“It’s no biggie,” Nancy stated with a flippant wave of her paw, “I’m just the hottest _gaaaammmeee deeeeevvvvveeeeeellllllooooppppeeeerrrrrr_ this seeeeaaaaazzzzzon!” She shouted the final two words and raised her paws up in the air in celebration.

“Modest as always, Nan,” muttered Kevin darkly, slouching further into the booth.

“Oh hush doll, you _looooovvvveee_ meeee!” the hare exclaimed, elbowing the otter and giving an exaggerated wink, “Dontcha, Kevie?” Before Kevin could respond, a server arrived with two plates of sushi rolls.

“Konoko, double takoyaki extra kusaya toro-maki daku, with red and white Califurnia-maki on side,” Nancy trilled to the young cat as she laid the plates down. “Oh, and tell Muro four Asahi drrrrryyyyy,” she trilled after her. “Yes, I _still knoooowww_ what _yooouuuu_ like, Kevie,” she trilled again, inching closer to the now leery otter, wrapping her arm around his.

Noticing Tobias and Hazel’s uncomfortable stares, Nancy let her ears flop behind her head and grinned at them. “I got a reason to go wild over lunch today,” she smiled, “I’m up for a contract with WarPaw!” pointing at the wolves on her T-shirt.

Unfazed by the blank stares of her companions, she continued, “WarPaw 70K! You know, the big sci-fi tabletop game?” Getting no further response, the excitable hare took a moment to take a sip of her tea.

“Wow...Nancy, you seem to know everyone around here,” Tobias started.

“Well,” she trilled, “like I just saaaaaaiiiiiiddd, I’m the hottest game developer of the ssseeeeeeeaaaaazzzzzzoooooonnn...aaaaaannnnd, I’m sort of a regular, ask Shiny, that old nob knows eeevvveerrryyythiiiiinnnnng about this town.

“Tell Shiny to put it on my tab,” Nancy winked to the server as she arrived with the plates, “and if the old nob gets hinky, tell him I’ll clear it in a week, ‘coz I’m up for a major deal, and he ougtha knooooowww nooooobody says no to _Nan_ , ‘coz who’s gonna _pass_ on the mind behind _Zombeef HQ_ and _Savage Streetz_?”

“You have a _tab_ at _Shiny's Fish_?” Kevin asked, surprised.

“Perks of being a Codemammal,” Nancy trilled as she deftly slipped a card into his pocket, her paw lingering over it. “Soooo, Kev,” fluttering her eyelashes at him, “when're you gonna come and work for your ol' hare-throb, hmmm?” she continued to trill as she started to grind against Kevin's T-shirt.

Tobias and Hazel had a difficult time stifling their grins and giggles. They hoped Lilly was too engrossed in the game to have overheard her, because if she started, they were fairly sure they wouldn't be able to stop.

Kevin reached for Nancy’s paw and delicately picked it off his shirt, just as one would with lint. “I’ll...consider it. Depends what happens now at work after all this pressure is off us predators.”

“You mean your nasty boss was telling you to keep your paws off the female prey?” Nancy teased as Kevin seemed to flush with embarrassment. “I always knew you were into my kind of sh-”

“So, Nancy, what’s it like in the gaming industry?” interrupted Hazel. “It sounds so…interesting.”

With that opening, Nancy launched into another one-sided conversation about how the gaming industry was starting to heat up and open more opportunities for coders like herself, stopping only to occasionally look over Lilly and expertly slip a carefully picked avocado or white cucumber roll into her eager mouth. She spoke of major corporations lining up to sponsor gaming tournaments where teams played for prizes in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. “I, tell, you,” her head bobbing as she expertly used chopsticks to pick up a kusaya roll, dab it into the wasabi, dip it into the soy sauce, and in one smooth motion, popped it into her maw, crunching it satisfactorily before swallowing it with a large grin, “there’s _noooooo_ better time like the present to be a coder in our sphere. Small dev teams are finally on the rise again, and the next-gen smartphone wave’s been _soooooo_ good for us.”

A burst of music erupted from her cellphone; the other members of the group were happy for the interruption. “It’s my team, I gotta take this outside,” she sighed, “reception’s lousy in here.” Frowning, she answered the call. “This better be good, Ry, I’m in the middle of lunch,” she growled as she hopped out of the booth.

“Anything you'd like to tell us, Kev?” Tobias asked with a sly grin, as the energetic hare bounded out of the restaurant, glad to be getting some payback from the stony introduction.

Kevin looked uncomfortable, forcibly hiding his scowl only because Lilly was at the table. “It was a long time ago,” he said, “in college. I don't know how, but we got bunked together in the same dorm.”

“Sounds like she likes you,” Lilly piped up, smiling with her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth in concentration.

“Lilly!” Hazel whispered harshly, but Kevin held up one webbed paw to her. “No, she's right,” he sighed. “Nan was that way with everyone, but me especially she never left alone. Half the time I tutored her, I'm pretty sure she was faking it just so we could talk.”

“Our first year in the dorm, she created a little racing game in BASIC. Nothing special, just time trials circling around a closed track, but it raised eyebrows with everyone; that was when Nan found her calling. We lost touch after college, and I was kind of amazed that she didn't drop out to pursue her dream. Last I heard, she was working for PigPig Entertainment, that big TV studio and toy company.”

“But I read in the news that they recently folded,” Tobias said, recalling an article he'd turned to one time when the coverage of the savage attacks was so overwhelming he'd had to swipe to the _business_ section to avoid them.

“Hunh. News to me,” Kevin shrugged, cracking another beer.

The conversation remained static until Nancy bounced her way back to the table more excited than she was at first, if that was possible. “Called it!” she exclaimed as she hopped back up, paws pressing the T-shirt flat to display the armored wolves with their rifle-mounted chainsaws.

Suddenly, Lilly squealed “I won!”

Nancy leaned over to retrieve the handheld. “Nooooo way! This is _eeeeeppppiiiiiiccc_ ,” she trilled as she pulled the little bunny into an excited hug. “You just _dooooommmminated_ my leaderboard, sweetie, how could you beat my whole _team_ that way?”

“I used to play SBR with my cousins in the Burrows,” Lily piped up.

“I gotta show the _teeaaamm_ ,” Nancy trilled. “Hold it up,” she started, swinging out her phone for a selfie. “Nooooobody’s gonna believe I got schooled by a kiiiiiiid!” The hare stuck out her tongue with a smile as she snapped the photo. Lilly copied the pose, holding the Z-Branix Play proudly. Nancy’s phone went off a second time, and she let out a frustrated groan in response. The hare quickly grabbed the handheld out of the bunny-kit’s paws and shrugged apologetically to the table.

“Sorry, folks, I need to cut this little lunch date short and get back to the loft, looks like my new WarPaw deal’s on a tight deadline, gotta code. Remember, it’s all on my tab, so if you want more, just keep ordering, Shiny knows all. Looooovvvely meeting all of you. And Kevin,” she leered as she pressed herself against him, her nose a mere inch away from his, a stray finger lingering on his cheek, “don’t be a straaaaanger now, ya hear? We have a looooot to catch up on. Tooooodles, y’all!”

The remaining mammals watched as Nancy Leap quickly exited the restaurant, phone back against her ear as she argued with someone on the other line. There was an awkward silence as the adults weren’t completely sure what to do. Nor, apparently, was anyone else in the restaurant.

“Should we...stay?” asked Hazel hesitantly.

Kevin shrugged, grabbing a piece of shrimp, “If it’s on her tab, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Is that alright though?” questioned Tobias, looking down at the remaining spread on the table.

“Nan wouldn’t have done it if she didn’t mean it,” Kevin supplied. He raised a claw and shouted towards the bar, “Hey, can I get another beer?”

The barcat just glared, an oddly experienced glare for a cat as young as he was; a glare that in the trade _normally_ preceded a cut-off warning.

It was met by another glare from his sister as she returned to what was still the strangest table of the day.

* * *

The aged otter behind the counter stared for a long time at the tiger and the two rabbits that were walking out of his restaurant. He had seen some weird things in the city in his time, and they weren’t the weirdest, but were certainly up there. The otter that they joined was still at their table, putting down another drink and ordering more sushi. With a pronounced sigh, the aged otter turned and stared out the window with a frown, his thoughts drifting to the past troubled months.

“You are getting old, Shinichi,” he sighed to himself. “It is a brand new city again.”

* * *

  
“ _That_ was unexpected.”

As Lilly eagerly bounced around the park, Tobias and Hazel found a bench they could rest on (or beside in the tiger’s case).

“Toby,” Hazel sighed, “can I ask you for a big favour?”

“What is it?” the tiger asked, seeing the rabbit’s suddenly downcast face.

“Well...” she sighed, “when you were showering, I called my landlord, and it seems that some of the apartments in my building need renovation...and mine’s one of them. The landlord’s decided to do all the renovations now, and it’s going to take a few months.”

She looked pleadingly at the tiger. “C...can we stay at your place? For a while?”

“I thought you already were,” Tobias teased, holding back the sudden lightness in his heart.

The mother smiled wryly at the feline, “One night at your place doesn’t mean we moved in.”

The tiger laughed and slapped a paw against his knee, “More like two and a half, but I guess you’re right!” He chuckled a bit longer before letting out a contented sigh. “You and Lilly can stay as long as you’d like.” There was a moment of silence between the adults as they watched Lilly run and bounce all around the park.

“Is there anything you have to pick up from there?” he asked.

Hazel frowned in thought, pulling an ear over her right shoulder and rubbing it between her fingers. “Well...I don’t think so...but it wouldn’t hurt to stop by and make sure. We packed as much clothing as possible when we went to Bunnyburrow, but there’s some outfits of Lilly’s that we couldn’t take.”

Tobias nodded, “We’re not too far. Why don’t you stop by and take what you can. Anything else I can pick up with you another time.”

“Where are you going?” she asked as he got to his feet.

The feline gave an embarrassed smile, rubbing the back of his neck, “Well I, uh, figured I’d pick up some size-appropriate items for tonight.”

“And maybe some food,” added Hazel, “As much as Lilly may like it, us bunnies can’t survive on peanut butter alone.”

Tobias smiled at the joke, but his thoughts muted his mirth. The tiger never considered the fact that Hazel and Lilly _wouldn't_ live with him after they returned. It was naive of the feline to simply believe that the rabbits would, but then again this entire situation was new to Tobias. He remembered her comforting words from last night, but still felt the need to voice his concerns. “Hazel, if I can be honest,” he started, kneeling in front of her, “I...I...I don’t want you to leave. Not just yet.”

The rabbit looked at the tiger, briefly caught off guard.

“Last night,” he sighed, “on the couch, we were tucking Lilly in...you said we were a couple. Did you mean that?”

Her ears softly flopped behind her back as she reached up one paw to caress the tiger’s muzzle. Feeling his paw come up to hold her, she motioned for him to move closer to her level until she could reach his cheek.

“Yes,” she whispered. “Claws and all.”

She briefly pulled herself up over his shoulder, churring happily as she rubbed her cheek against his. Instinctively, her eyes were scanning everywhere for her daughter, ears sagging in relief when she recognised the familiar brown ears bobbing about and heard Lilly’s shrill laughter. _I swear I need a second pair of eyes just to watch over-_ her brain screeched to a smoking halt, coming to a sudden realization as she side-glanced at the large feline she was cuddled against whom she noticed had also been intently watching out for her daughter.

The tiger’s soft gaze bounced up and down with the young doe. Those burning amber eyes, they held such love and affection for Lilly, a look just like...

...a _father_.

Her inner ears flushed so hard that she swore they were smoking. It was too early for Hazel to think like that. Their relationship was so new, too unproven to allow for ridiculous thoughts like that! Were they moving too fast? Was this a mistake? How were the two of them even going to manage? Also, what if it didn’t work out? Could she, as a mother, allow her daughter to become so close to someone, only for them to leave?

“Sorry for worrying so much,” apologized the feline, glancing down at the ground, unaware of his lapine companion’s consternation.

Hazel sighed, scratching the back of his head with her blunt claws, “I have my own worries about us, Toby. But I’d rather work through them with you than worry over them without you.” She tried to smile reassuringly, but there was tightness in it.

The smile turned into a frown as her brow furrowed in thought, letting the most recent worry in her train of thought slip free. “Do you have an extra key, or should Lilly and I wait for you here when you’re at work?”

“We’ll figure out a whole key system later. Just text me a list of what to stock the shelves with on my way home from work nowadays, okay?” he smiled to her, pulling back from the hug to gaze at her face.

The mother smiled brightly, no tension in this one, and nodded, “I think that’s fair.” Hazel settled back to sitting against the bench, her gaze and ears following Lilly.

Tobias turned and did the same, watching quietly as the bunny-kit played some game he didn’t recognize with other kits. It really was a beautiful day and the feline was glad he could enjoy it with his rabbits. A thought occurred to the tiger that made him smirk. “When should we tell Lilly that you’re moving in with me for a stretch?” Tobias slyly asked Hazel, throwing her a wink.

“I think it’ll keep till we’re back on your couch,” she smiled. “I wouldn’t want her to draw the whole park’s attention to us just yet.”

Patting down Hazel’s ears in acknowledgment, Tobias turned to follow her gaze and prepared himself for an eagerly bounding little bunny-kit who was taking a run-up for an impressive jump.

They shared an ironic smile between them as he braced for the tiny fluffy missile heading his way. “You weren’t kidding about spilling the beans...” Tobias muttered, cupping his paws up to catch a flying kit.

Hazel laughed, covering her mouth with the back of her paw, “No...I wasn’t. Get ready!”

The tiger swallowed dryly, “I hope I am…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you want more out of this fic?
> 
> Are the delays in updates getting to you?
> 
> Is there something you just want to write in?
> 
> If any of those is yes, then feel free to step up and try a hand at writing into the fic...
> 
> ...because the drop-in is running, and there's room for everyone.
> 
> If there's something about this fic that you want to add to (you know you want to), just leave an email in the comments page, and GuiltySpark2K12 (that's me, the coordinator) will get back to you and share a manuscript which you can write into. (More details in the actual email.)  
> This is a collaborative fanfic, so all ideas will be incorporated into a single draft, with OC-related spin-offs remaining open.  
> Contributors will be credited as co-authors on the chapter/s in which they participate, as long as they tag themselves into the draft's co-author row.
> 
> For now, having found the allusions to her in the previous chapter, Foxtrotbeastbot received her free tag, and wrote in to tie the opening and the middle together.
> 
> Veteran Zootopiaddict Jknight97 completes a hat trick with a come-from-behind doctoring to fill in the blanks, tie the threads together, and some much-needed formatting...
> 
> ...but the lion's share of gratitude and contribution to this chapter goes to ConfusedGoatee_01, the first to comment and the first to write in, and amazingly, even _set the tone _for further chapters.__
> 
> And, for the sharp-eyed, I peppered this chapter with multiple little references to the field of gaming, manga, and portable music players...first one to spot the most gets a tag on the next chapter, _aaaaannnd _...a write-in invitation to THE FLASHFORWARD CHALLENGE!__
> 
> In The _FlashForward Challenge _, drop-in participants will receive a semi-complete manuscript full of threads, which they can write into. By skipping to the end, they will find a chapter solely reserved for them to write in a flashforward to the story.__
> 
> __  
> _The winning flashforward will be posted as the concluding chapter at the end of the narrative, and if the other flashforwards are good enough, they can even take the narrative further than was originally planned._  
> 


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